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Store-bought patio stones come in a handful of sizes. If you have an odd gap by a fence, a fire pit or a shed, you can cast pavers to fit it exactly. Jesse of Jesse does DIY needed two long narrow stones to fill a corner of his fire pit patio. He built simple wood forms, poured them in an afternoon and laid them the next day. It is a cheap, satisfying first concrete project.
Measure the gap and take off about a quarter inch each way so the stone drops in easily. For foot traffic, aim for at least 2 inches thick. That is why Jesse recommends 1x3 boards at minimum, which are about 2.5 inches tall. Stones longer than about 3 feet are heavy and can crack when you lift them, so make two shorter ones instead of one long one.
Multiply length by width by depth in inches, then divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet. An 80 pound bag makes about 0.6 cubic feet. A 12 by 36 inch stone 2.5 inches thick needs a little over one bag. An online concrete calculator does the math for you.
Concrete finishing is all about timing, and the weather changes it. On a warm day, everything happens faster. Edge it once the shine is gone from the surface, usually about 30 minutes after pouring. Brush it when a fingertip leaves only the faintest print. Jesse brushed late on a 22 C day and got less texture than he wanted. Twenty to 30 minutes sooner would have been better.
A standard bagged concrete mix with gravel is the strongest choice for stones you walk on. For a smoother face with fewer pits, a sand mix or a mix sold for countertops gives a finer finish but costs more. Avoid fast-setting post mix. It hardens before you have time to edge and trowel.
Wet concrete is caustic and can burn skin. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection, and a dust mask when you tip in dry mix. Rinse any splashes off right away. Mixing two bags by hand is a real workout, so lift with your legs.
Want something more decorative? Try a mosaic stepping stone or a concrete leaf casting. A concrete bird bath or a concrete planter finishes the garden, and you can learn to make concrete molds from household items for smaller pieces.
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How to make concrete pavers with a simple wood form. A medium project: about 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 24 hours to dry or set. Materials cost about $15 to $30. You need 15 things, including pine 1x3 boards, 1-1/2 inch deck screws and concrete mix. The 10 steps start with cut 1x3 Boards to Size for the Concrete Paver Form, screw the Corners of the Paver Form Together and set the Paver Forms on a Plastic Sheet.
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Measure the spot where your paver will go and decide on its final size. Cut four pieces of pine 1x3 to make a rectangle that size on the inside. Two pieces are the full length, and two are the width plus the thickness of both boards. Use 1x3 or 2x3 for anything people will walk on. Thinner 1x2 is only fine for decorative stones.
Measure the inside of the form, not the outside. That is your paver size.
Butt the boards together at each corner and drive one 1-1/2 inch deck screw through the long side into the end of the short side. Do not overtighten, or the wood can split. A single screw per corner is enough. It holds the shape while you pour and comes out easily when you take the form apart.
Check that the form is square by measuring both diagonals. They should match.
Pick a flat, level spot such as a patio or garage floor. Lay down a sheet of plastic or an opened garbage bag to catch spills and stop the concrete sticking to the ground. Place the forms on top. The plastic also gives the bottom of each paver a smooth face. Spray the inside of the forms with cooking oil if you plan to reuse them.
A level surface matters. A tilted form makes a paver thicker at one end.
Pour one bag of concrete mix into a mixing tub and add water a little at a time, following the bag. Mix with a hoe or shovel until it is about the thickness of pancake batter. Scrape the sides and corners of the tub so no dry pockets are left. Then add the second bag and repeat. Wear gloves.
Mix one bag at a time. Two at once is too hard to blend by hand.
Shovel the wet concrete into the form. Start at one end and work toward the other, piling it slightly higher than the top of the boards. Do not worry about the surface yet. The goal is to get enough concrete in to fill every corner, with a little extra on top to scrape off when you level it.
Tap the sides of the form with a hammer to shake air bubbles out.
Use a wooden float, a 2x4 or a trowel to push concrete into all the corners. Fill it as close to level with the form as you can, maybe a touch over. For longer stones, drag a straight 2x4 across the top edges of the form in a sawing motion. Push the extra off the end and drop some into any low spots.
Tamp high spots gently with the float. It helps the concrete settle and self-level.
Wait about half an hour, until the shine has left the surface. Run an edging tool along the inside of the form all the way around. Make several passes, going a little deeper each time, and lift the leading edge of the tool so it does not dig in. Rounded edges are less likely to chip and feel nicer underfoot.
Clean your tools and dump leftover concrete while you wait. Do not rinse it down a drain.
After edging, sweep a steel trowel lightly across the face of the paver. You do not need much pressure. Hold the front edge of the trowel slightly raised and use long, overlapping strokes. This smooths out float marks and the ridges left by the edger. Go back over the edges once more if you want a crisper line.
For a slick trowel finish, come back again after about an hour and a half.
A smooth paver gets slippery when wet. Drag a stiff concrete brush across the surface in long, straight lines for a broom finish. Timing is tricky. Brush when a fingertip leaves only the faintest print. Too soon and you tear up the surface. Too late and you get very little texture. Brush across or along the stone.
Do a test stroke in one corner first. If it gouges, wait 10 minutes.
Cover the pavers with plastic and leave them overnight. After about 24 hours, unscrew the forms and lift them away. Set the pavers into place, tapping them level. Mist them with water every few hours for the first couple of days to help them cure strong. Full strength takes about four weeks, so go gently with heavy loads.
Lay a bed of sand under each paver so it sits flat and does not rock.
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How to Make Concrete Pavers in Any Size
E6000
E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)
The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.
Gorilla
Gorilla Dual-Temp Full-Size Hot Glue Gun
Dual-temp so it handles delicate florals and heavy materials alike. A precise nozzle and built-in stand make it the everyday craft-table gun.
OLFA
OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat
The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.
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